Magic Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Perfection in 20 Min
A fresh and flavorful strawberry salad with a homemade strawberry balsamic vinaigrette, featuring crisp greens, sweet fruit, and crunchy toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 small head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 lb. strawberries hulled and sliced
- 5 oz. bag spinach
- 1 pear thinly sliced and halved or chopped
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- ¼ large red onion thinly sliced
- 1 package ramen noodles crushed (flavor packet discarded)
- ⅓ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
- 4 oz. goat cheese crumbles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 cup strawberries hulled
- ½ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon dried minced onions
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Wash and chop all salad ingredients (romaine, strawberries, spinach, pear, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion).
- Crush ramen noodles and discard the flavor packet.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped greens, strawberries, pear, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, crushed ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: Blend strawberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, Dijon, dried minced onions, garlic, paprika, salt, thyme, and pepper until smooth.
- Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while blending until emulsified. Stir in poppy seeds.
- Toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing just before serving.
Notes
- For extra crunch, toast the ramen noodles in a dry pan before adding to the salad.
- Store leftover dressing in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Omit goat cheese for a vegan version.